Multiple detonator operation



April 10, 1962 M. APSTEIN 3,028,809

MULTIPLE DETONATOR OPERATION Original Filed March 13, 1952 8 FIG. 1 7o 78 FIG. 2

3/19 INVENTOR 8 mama/5 APSTV/V 4 2,23 0 4.910% BY ya 21% y/fi mq UnitedStates Patent Ofiice 3,028,809 Patented Apr. 10, 1962 3,028,809 MULTIPLEDETONATOR OPERATION Maurice Apstein, Bethesda, Md., assignor to theUnited States of America as represented by the Secretary of the ArmyOriginal application Mar. 13, 1952, Ser. No. 276,433, now Patent No.2,921,522, dated Jan. 19, 1960. Divided and this application Aug. 31,1959, Ser. No. 837,302 1 Claim. (Cl. 10270.2) (Granted under Title 35,US. Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention described herein may bemanufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposeswithout the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

In order to insure that proximity and/or electrical types of fusesemployed in artillery projectiles, guided missiles and the like shallfunction despite a defective detonator, it is desirable that. two ormore detonators be used and so arranged that both may fire or thateither will fire if the other is short circuited or open circuited. Tothis end, the novel circuitry of the invention hereinafter described hasbeen devised.

Multiple detonator firing is accomplished by introducing a plurality ofcoupled isolating impedance elements in series with each of thdetonators. This prevents one detonator from short-circuiting theothers. As will become apparent, either inductance or capacitance may beused as the isolating impedance, although inductance is to be preferred.

Another object of the invention is a novel circuit means wherebypositive functioning of electrically actuated detonators in proximityfuses or other detonator functioned devices is insured.

Another object of the invention is means whereby a multiplicity ofdetonators may be caused to fire or the remainder of detonators in thecircuit may be fired irrespective of faulty detonators or connectionsthereto.

The specific nature of the invention as well as other objects andadvantages thereof will clearly appear from the following descriptionand accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 shows an embodiment of the invention whereby two detonators arefunctioned through an inductive means.

FIGURE 2 shows a modification of the circuit of the invention.

FIGURE 3 shows another modification of the invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein like referencecharacters designate the same parts throughout the drawings, number 1indicates an electrical feed line of a proximity fuse or any electricaldetonator exciter means, not shown, connected to the center tap 3 of achoke 2. One end terminal 4 of the choke is connected to a lead ofdetonator 6 and the opposite end terminal 5 to a lead of detonator 7.The remaining leads 6a and 7a of the detonators are joined in a commonreturn line 8 of the exciter means. When a pulse of current is appliedto the inductive means 2 through feed line 1, it will divide equallyabout the center tap 3 and will proportionately flow through detonators6 and 7 to the return line 8. If, for example, detonator 6 is opencircuited, all the current will flow through detonator 7. It, on theother hand, detonator 6 is short circuited, the current will pass inapproximately equal amounts through the short circuited detonator 6 andthe operating detonator 7 because of the negligibl resistance of thedetonators and thus cause detonator 7 to function.

In the modification shown in FIGURE 2, the electrical detonator firingcircuit is substantially the same as that shown in FIGURE 1 with theexception that the Series connected capacitors 9 and 10 have beensubstituted for the center tapped choke 2. In this modification the feed1 line is connected to the series connector 11 in order to provide anequal amount of energy for the detonators.

Another system for insuring detonation of explosive missiles or the likeis shown in FIGURE 3 wherein the detonators 12, 13 and 14 are connectedacross spaced coils 15, 16 and 17, respectively. Positioned in inductiverelationship to coils 15 and 16 is a coil or link coupling 18 which isin series with a similar coil or link 19 positioned in inductiverelationship between coils 16 and 17. The terminals of the seriesconnected coils comprising link coupling means are connected across thefeed line 1 and return line 8. In operation, a pulse of current iscaused to flow in the link coupling means which in turn induces acurrent in each of the detonator shunted coils to function thedetonators. It is apparent that irrespective of the fact that somedetonators or circuits thereof may fail to function, detonation of theexplosive missile in which the invention is incorporated may be obtainedif but one detonator and circuit remain in operative condition.

It will be apparent that the embodiments shown are only exemplary andthat various modifications can be made in construction and arrangementwithin the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

This application is a divisional application of Multiple DetonatorOperation, Serial No. 276,433, filed March 13, 1952, now Patent No.2,921,522.

I claim as my invention:

A detonator firing circuit comprising electrical energy supply meansincluding a feed line and a return line, a link coupling means having aplurality of spaced inductive links connected in series, said lin'kcoupling means connected to said supply means for receiving electricalimpulses therefrom, and a plurality of series circuits each consistingof a coil and a detonator, all of said detonators being responsive tothe same condition, each of said coils being closely coupled to one ofsaid spaced inductive links so that the functioning of each of saiddetonators is independent of the response by the rest of saiddetonators.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,794,421 Ruhlemann Mar. 3, 1931 2,514,359 Allison July 11, 19502,748,704 Dinsmoor June 5, 1956 2,789,506 Filbert et al Apr. 23, 1957

